Senior National Kho Kho Championship kicks off in Telangana with over 1,400 athletes 

The inaugural ceremony was a grand spectacle featuring a parade by teams, an impressive NCC march-past and vibrant cultural performances

Khel Today Bureau

Kazipet (Telangana): Over 1,400 athletes from all across India are participating in the 58th Senior National Kho Kho Championship (Men & Women) 2025-26 that kick-started here at Railway Stadium on Sunday. The inaugural ceremony was graced by the presence of Hon’ble Irrigation Minister of Telangana Shri N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Hon’ble Minister of Sports and Youth Services of Telangana Sri Vakiti Srihari. The inaugural ceremony was a grand spectacle featuring a parade by teams, an impressive NCC march-past and vibrant cultural performances.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were President of Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) Shri Sudhanshu Mittal, Shri Upkar Singh Virk, General Secretary (KKFI), Shri Govind Sharma, Treasurer (KKFI), Dr MS Tyagi, Chairman, Administration & Organisation (KKFI), Shri Janga Raghava Reddy, President of Telangana Kho Kho Association, Shri N Krishnamurthy, Secretary, Telangana Kho Kho Association, as well as other officials and public representatives.

While appreciating the role of President of Telangana Kho Kho Association and all officials, in organising such a grand event, Shri Sudhanshu Mittal, President, KKFI said, “I am really heartened to see such a grand Senior Nationals with such a huge participation. Athletes from every part of India have come. Every Kho Kho player has a dream in his eyes to see their sport reach great heights. We have to be in the 2030 Commonwealth Games and we will realise this dream.”

Sports Minister Sri Vakiti Srihari said, “Seeing such a grand event I feel like I am sitting in Delhi and not in Kazipet. Teams from all across India including North, South, East and West have come. I thank Shri Sudhanshu Mittal and Shri Upkar Singh from KKFI and Shri Janga Raghava Reddy, President of Telangana Kho Kho Association for making it possible.”

“Kho Kho sport should be encouraged and I assure that the state government will fully co-operate to make this Championship a grand success,“ said Hon’ble Minister Shri N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.

The championship features teams representing 26 states, 6 Union Territories, 4 institutional units, and 3 Associate Member Associations, highlighting the vast reach and growing depth of Kho Kho across India. The matches are in league-cum-knockout format with pre-quarter and quarter-final matches on January 14, and semi-finals and finals on January 15.